


both feet firmly on the slippery slope

by misura



Category: The Death of the Necromancer - Martha Wells
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 18:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nicholas comes to Ari for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	both feet firmly on the slippery slope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Measured_Words](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/gifts).



_Be honest,_ Nicholas thought. _If he was in his right mind, you wouldn't even have considered asking him to do this._ Which was true, but not all of the truth.

Arisilde looked thoughtful, which might mean he was considering Nicholas's request - or that the question had already slipped his mind in favor of some other thing that had occured to him. It was impossible to tell, these days.

 _I need him._ That, too, was true, and not all of the truth. Arisilde's help would make for a considerable asset, but Nicholas knew he would still proceed with his plan without it.

"You want me to disable a ward." Arisilde sounded uncertain.

Nicholas kept his temper in check. It was easy enough; Arisilde had always been a good friend. A good man. _The greatest sorcerer currently alive._

"Only briefly," Nicholas said, taking a stab at the source of Arisilde's hesitation. It might as well simply be that Arisilde had forgotten which ward, precisely, Nicholas had asked him about.

"I can do that." Arisilde's expression was pleased. Proud, almost. It reminded Nicholas of how he'd looked working on the spheres, on the day they'd finally succeeded.

Arisilde's eyes had been clearer then, though. His clothes had been cleaner, and newer. He'd smelled of soap, very faintly, and his body had felt strong and warm against Nicholas's own, not fragile, like that of an injured bird Nicholas was worried he might crush if he held it too tightly.

 _It's his choice._ An argument not yet grown old, although Nicholas suspected it might, one day. Hopefully, by then, it wouldn't matter anymore. _If this is what makes him happy, then what right do I have to take it away from him?_

"Will you?" _What right does anyone have to save a friend?_

Arisilde smiled at him. "Of course. If that's what you want. Simply tell me when and where."


End file.
